Kimbra "Good Intent" Makeup Tutorial PART 2!

I'm back with another makeup tutorial, and it hasn't been a month since the last video! Amazing! I think this would be considered "progress". Anyways, here is a heavily requested video tutorial of one of the other looks featured in Kimbra's Good Intent music video. Also, fun fact: Kimbra finally released her debut album "Vows" in the US & Canada this past Tuesday. If you haven't already, you should definitely check it out. She's fabulous! On with the tutorial!




Face
Stila Convertible Color in Peony

Eyes
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencil in Sin
Bobbi Brown Metallic Shadow in Bronzed Pink (26)
MAC Shadow in Sushi Flower
NYX Shadow in Burgundy Pearl
MAC Shadow in Deep Damson (PRO Color)
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Liner in Perversion
Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Black Ink
MAC Shadow in Shroom
YSL Shocking Mascara

Lips
MAC Lipstick in Lovelorn
MAC Lipglass in Strange Potion (Limited Edition from MAC Venomous Villains collection)

Review: Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid's Dream

If I'm going to be completely honest, I have been lusting after Deborah Lippmann's glitter polishes ever since I first came onto the online beauty community scene. Her nail polishes are extraordinarily unique, and Mermaid's Dream is no exception. The $18 price tag kept me away from buying one of these babies, until Beauty.com had their friends & family sale last week. Also, Ebates was giving 13% cash back on any Beauty.com order last week, so I definitely took advantage of this opportunity to get a glitter polish.

I wanted to buy something completely unique and unlike any other polish on the market. I saw Mermaid's Dream and knew it'd become my go-to summer polish. You guys, this is seriously the prettiest nail polish I own. I have one other Deborah Lippmann nail polish (Waking Up In Vegas), and I love the quality of these polishes. Yes, they are expensive, but if you want a really unique and great quality polish, it is definitely worth the investment.

The color itself is completely stunning. It is literally like Deborah Lippmann bottled up an actual mermaid. It's a beautiful seafoam green base with a golden fine shimmer to it, with small blue glitter running throughout it. The base is best described as being an iridescent seafoam green actually. It is also extremely opaque. Don't even think about layering this on top of another polish. I would say it is opaque in one coat, but I always apply two coats for kicks and giggles. The official "description" is "a glittered shimmer sea foam splendor". How descriptive. 

Breaking it down even further, like mentioned before, it costs $18 for .50 oz. of product. For reference, a MAC nail lacquer is $16 for .34 oz. of product, butter London's nail polishes are $14 for .4 oz. of product, and Zoya's nail polishes are $8 for .50 oz. of product. So yes, one could say that Deborah Lippmann is a bit overpriced, but it is right on point with other high-end nail polishes. In fact, Deborah Lippmann nail polishes are a steal compared to other high end nail polishes, as you get more product for $18. 

So overall, I recommend this nail polish. I'm completely infatuated with it, and I can guarantee I'll be wearing the crap out of it. You can purchase it at Nordstrom, Beauty.com, and other retailers.

Nails of the Day

It's no secret that I'm completely obsessed with the ombré trend, from hair to nails. The other night I was feeling particularly inspired and wanted to try to do a gradient/ombré on my nails. The end result? Fairly decent, but nothing completely outstanding. I used a makeup sponge and painted the nail polish directly onto the sponge, and then stippled it onto my nails. Here's the end result!

Now that I have a general idea of how to do this, I'm going to try doing it again. Have any of you tried doing this yourself? Any tips or ideas? I'd love to hear!

The Coral Lip

If there is one thing I love about the spring and summer, it's the resurrection of the coral lip. Long gone are the fall and winter burgundy and red lips, and in come the bright orange and coral-hued lips. It's an obsession of mine, really. I've tried many coral lipsticks over the past year, and today I am here to share with you my top five favorite coral lipsticks.

[1- revlon lip butter in tutti frutti; 2- makeup forever rouge artist intense in 39; 3- mac lipstick in vegas volt; 4- urban decay super saturated high gloss lip color in punch drunk; revlon colorburst lipstick in coral]

Out of the five lipsticks swatched above, only the last two are true corals, in my opinion. If you're looking for a nice coral lipstick that will sit well on the lips and moisturize, I highly recommend Revlon's Lip Butters. I picked up three of them the other day while perusing the aisles of Ulta, and I'm slightly obsessed. It adds the slightest coral color to your pout, and is great for those who aren't ready to wear a full-throttle coral (like the last two!). 

The Makeup Forever lipstick is a bit on the dry side, so if you have chapped lips, avoid this lipstick. It looks great under a lipgloss, though. I layer this lipstick a lot. The MAC lipstick is a great shade as well, as it is a great medium between orange and pink. This is definitely a summer favorite for me. 

The Urban Decay and Revlon lipsticks, like mentioned before, are the only true corals in the group. The Urban Decay is more orange than the Revlon lipstick, but these are great dupes. If you aren't willing to spend $19 on the Urban Decay lip pencil, then definitely get the Revlon lipstick. Both are long-lasting and don't dry out the lips. Both are fabulous!

From this list I've excluded some of the pinky-corals I own. That will be a post for another day! What are your favorite coral lipsticks?

Easy Peachy Bronze Summer Tutorial

I'm finally back with a new tutorial! It has been ages, I know. This is a really easy summer tutorial that can be flatte,ring with just about any skintone. Check out the tutorial and pics below, along with a list of the products used!


Products Used:FaceBobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in NaturalUrban Decay Baked Bronzer in Baked
EyesWet N Wild Single Eye Shadow in BruleMAC Espresso E/SUrban Decay Baked Bronzer in BakedUrban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencil in SinMaybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo in Fierce & TangyMAC Pink Bronze PigmentBobbi Brown Black Gel LinerUrban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in PerversionUrban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Stray DogYves Saint Laurent Shocking MascaraClinique Bottom Lash Mascara
LipsUrban Decay Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Punch Drunk

New Blog Design!

Hey everyone! I've been noticeable quiet lately, and there is good reason for that! Besides having family from New York and some good friends from the Midwest visiting, I've been planning out a complete blog redesign! The new feel to my blog is more summer-y and peppy, which is very representative of my mood as of lately. For those of you who read my blog through a RSS feed (like Google Reader, etc.), I have a snapshot of what my blog is looking like!

Anyways, I'm really excited about this much-needed blog redesign. Next on my list is for a new headshot/avatar/profile picture. Soon enough! Have a great day xx

Summer Glow Essentials Part 2

Yesterday I briefly went over my five favorite bronzers to use in the summertime. Ah, summertime. It's right around the corner! I'm still in disbelief that it's May. Yesterday was 88 degrees where I'm living, and incredibly humid. With this kind of weather, I am very hesitant to use any highlighter on my face for fear of looking like a hot mess. Typically, when I know I'll be out all day, both indoors and outdoors, I skip the highlighter since my "natural" highlighter, aka oil, will make a guest star appearance on my face. However, if I'm going to an event or party that is only a couple of hours long, I do opt for a nice highlighter on my face.

The first luminizer I ever purchased was High Beam from Benefit. It has turned into one of my all-time favorite highlighters to date. I only use the tiniest amount for the tops of my cheekbones, since I do get oily really easily. I just apply a bit on the back of my hand, and use my foundation brush to apply it ever so lightly.

The NARS Orgasm Illuminator is an interesting product. Some people hate it, some people love it. I actually really like using this on the face as a highlighter/blush combo. It's a great summer product, in my opinion. Is it worth the price tag? Meh. I got my hands on a deluxe sample a while ago, and I am barely halfway through. If you have money to spend though, you may want to check this out!

Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick is another really cool product. Depending on the shade you buy, it can be used as a bronzer, blusher, or highlighter. You can even use them as eyeshadows! However, instead of paying full priced for it, if you go to the nearest CCO store (Cosmetic Company Outlet), there is bound to be some there for a much cheaper price.

The ELF Golden Bronzer has a special spot in my kit. I love using this on naturally tan clients, because it gives them the nicest, most natural glow. To be quite honest, I don't like ELF products, but this is the one ELF product I turn to frequently. I apply it with a big ol' fan brush, as it lightly applies the product to the skin. And the price being only $3 is something spectacular, too.

Last, but certainly not least, is the NARS Nico blush. When I first bought this, I had no idea how to use it, so I just through it in the back of my stash. It was bothering me that I wasn't using it, so I researched it online and found out that it makes a great highlighter for pale girls such as myself. This is the one highlighter I can use regardless of how long I'll be out- it doesn't add to my natural greasiness and sits beautifully on the skin. If you're pale like me, you need this product!

With all of that being said, what are your favorite highlighters, if you use any at all? Do you think highlighters are going to be an essential to your summer makeup routine? I want to hear your thoughts!

Summer Glow Essentials Part 1

Hello everyone! I'm back from my mini-hiatus, a bit later than anticipated! I am back with some of my absolute favorite summer "glow" essentials, and I'm sure you'll find something that tickles your fancy as I have included a couple of drugstore items in this list as well. Let's start off with some bronzers!

If you are unable to get a nice looking, natural tan during the summer (or just don't want skin cancer in the future), then searching for the perfect bronzer is quite difficult. I rely on a bunch of different kinds of bronzers during the summer. I have yet to fully commit to a full-body self-tanner (I'm terrified of them!), but this summer I plan on trying out the St. Tropez one. Anyway, now that I'm completely off the topic of face bronzers, one of my all-time favorite bronzers is the one by Bobbi Brown, since it is completely matte and it great not only for a nice tan, but for contouring as well.

Another great bronzer is the one from Bare Minerals, which is a loose powder formula. Although at first it seems crazy messy (which the potential to be messy is totally there), you can actually get very creative with it! If you want a quick body bronzer, just mix up some of the loose powder with your moisturizer and BAM! You have an awesome body bronzer! If you are just using the powder by itself- be careful. This stuff is potent. A little bit goes a long, long way.

Lorac's Tantalizer Body Luminizer is another great summer product for the body, as it adds a beautiful, healthy glow to the skin. I really like applying this onto my décolletage area and on my shoulders on nights out, since it makes my skin not look so disgustingly pale. 

The Urban Decay Baked Bronzer is a product I literally use every single day. It comes in three shades (one of them is matte, the other two are varying degrees of shimmer), and the shade I use is Baked, which has a nice shimmer to it. Obviously, I don't use this for contouring, but I apply this as a blush and I add it to my temples and along my hairline and I get the nicest summer glow. I swear by this product. I even use it as an eyeshadow sometimes! It isn't overly shimmery, and although I can get pretty oily, this doesn't add to my natural grease pit. It's perfect! It can also be used wet. I recommend this to everyone!

For those of you who are looking for a great affordable bronzer, you should definitely check out Milani's Baked Bronzer. There are three shades (I don't think any of them are matte, however), and they add great luminosity and bronze to your face without being Jersey Shore-esque. Like my favorite Urban Decay bronzer, it can be applied dry or wet, and is great for the eyes, face, and body. I've had a hard time finding these bronzers in stores, but you can definitely get them online!

The five bronzers I mentioned in this post are my tried-and-true favorites. Of course, as with every summer season, new bronzers are released (most of the time being limited edition- ugh), and I somehow end up buying way more bronzers than I'll ever need. Good thing I'm a makeup artist- you can never have too many tanning products in your kit (especially in Florida)! Some other bronzers that look promising that I haven't tried out (but are planning to try them out) are Makeup Forever's new matte bronzer, Too Faced matte bronzer, and Josie Maran's brightening bronzer. Also, one of these days I'm going to take the plunge and buy Chanel's Soleil de Tan and Guerlain's Terracotta bronzer. One day.

What are some of your favorite bronzers? Be on the look out for part two of this Summer Glow post tomorrow- it'll be time to talk about some highlighters!

VLOG: New York City Trip

Like I have been promising since I returned from my trip to New York, here is a rather inadequate and sporadic vlog from my trip!

For the pictures and a more comprehensive review of my trip, check out yesterday's post on the matter. I know I mentioned I'd really go into detail about IMATS- but the fact is, I have no energy to do so. Just trust me when I say how overwhelming it was, although it was still a delightful experience. 
Also, here's a fun fact for you all: I may be noticeably absent from the blog for the next week, as finals week has finally descended upon us college students. I have a ton of work I need to do, and my last final isn't until the 28th of this month. Fingers crossed I do well! Don't worry though, I won't be completely absent from the Internet, as I am sure to be found complaining and cursing out school on Twitter and Instagram!
Have a great week everyone!

NYC 2012 Trip Recap!

It is now time for a full recap of my trip to New York this past weekend! Involved in this trip was a trip to Connecticut, IMATS, and of course, the city that never sleeps, New York City. This is going to be a very photo heavy post, so consider yourself warned.

I honestly have no idea where to start off, but Thursday the 12th, my mom and I flew into New York, where we stayed at my cousin's house, which is about 30 minutes from the city. From the 13th-15th, we stayed at the hotel Ink48 in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of the city, which just so happened to be about a couple of blocks from Pier 94, the venue for IMATS.

I tend to joke around and say that I come to New York City for one thing-food. This past trip, I realized I wasn't actually kidding, it was the truth! I become such a hardcore food monster, where I basically just open my mouth at the end of a table and vacuum up all the food in my path. It's bad. I have no self-control! It's not my fault that New York City has the best food in the world! The three food pics above are from the hotel's restaurant, Print. If you're ever in Hell's Kitchen, GO TO THIS RESTAURANT. Their food is beyond amazing.

Another reason I look forward to coming to New York City? Cupcakes. I am a cupcake fiend. I am obsessed with Baked by Melissa cupcakes, because they're mini and SO. MOIST. They are little cupcakes of perfection. Nothing compares! Apparently the ship their cupcakes nationwide. My belly already hates me. My cousin made me go to Magnolia Bakery, where she claims they have the best cupcakes in the city. Fun fact: they're okay, and definitely don't compare to Baked by Melissa. Don't even think about telling me that any cupcake is better than Baked by Melissa's!

The first picture in this set is actually a picture of Greenwich, Connecticut. Why I decided to put that picture in this set of NYC pictures, I will never know. Just go with it!

Saturday, my mom and I walked around the city. My mom wanted to go hang around Times Square (which I loathe), where we stumbled upon a bunch of men in kilts playing the bagpipes. Then I dragged us all the way downtown, where we walked around Soho. We also walked by Union Square Park, which was filled with homeless people and Occupy Wallstreet-ers. 'Twas an interesting time!

I wish I could remember the name of the store that had these badass elevators! All I know is that this store is located in Soho and is on West Broadway. I want this elevator in my house!!

Now it's time for the IMATS recap! Kind of. I'll discuss it more in tomorrow's NYC vlog. But basically there was a ton of cool stuff that I was too overwhelmed to check out. Yay for social anxiety! I saw one of the seminars by Roshar, and it was how to do editorial makeup or something like that. It was pretty great! Roshar is really funny. Then me and Charleen stopped by the Eve Pearl booth and got our makeup done! I'm now obsessed with the Eve Pearl HD foundations and salmon concealer. How have I lived without them?! I also need to buy those concealers for my kit. They're great!

Then they have the "makeup museum", curated by Josh Turi, a key makeup artist for Saturday Night Live. I saw him last year in the SNL Makeup Artist Panel, and he's hilarious. He also provides a bunch of wigs from the show, such as Will Forte's MacGruber wig, the Barack Obama wig, and, if you saw the show hosted by Sofia Vergara, the wigs from the Hunger Games sketch. I was totally fangirling over the SNL wigs!

After IMATS, I met up with a bunch of family, where we ended up walking around Chelsea and Soho, and had dinner at a paella bar called Socarrat. You guys... if you're ever in Chelsea (or Nolita), you need to go to Socarrat. I had the best meal of my life there. I'm not even kidding. The tapas there were absolutely exquisite, and the paella was to die for.

So those were the highlights of my New York trip! I got to spend time with family I rarely get to see, and also got to hang out in my favorite part of the city, Soho. I can't wait to go back!